Very special festival does justice to town's war dead
Tuesday, 2nd November 2010.
Haverhill's special Remembrance Festival to mark the 90th anniversary of the town's war memorial proved a big hit with visitors of all ages from far and wide over the weekend.
The Arts Centre auditorium was filled with displays from a variety of town organisations on the theme of the two World Wars, while other organisations provided a range of performers on the stage in words and music on a similar theme.
Every half hour throughout the festival on Friday and Saturday, there was a solemnly observed ceremony of the reading out of six of the names of the First World War dead on the memorial, with a bell being rung for each.
By the end of Saturday afternoon all 144 had been read out, many by relatives, some of whom travelled some distance to take part, having been contacted by Haverhill Family History Group, which was researching each name.
The results of the group's research has been put together in a Roll of Honour book, which was presented to the Mayor of Haverhill, Cllr Elaine McManus, at the opening of the festival.
The book will be kept at the Arts Centre so present and future generations can find out about the life stories of those who gave their lives.
On Friday morning The Mayor of St Edmundsbury, Cllr Michael Jones, welcomed visitors to the festival and thanked those who had organised it.
It marked the unveiling of the war memorial on November 21, 1920, when, Cllr Jones said, it was reported that 5,000 people lined the route and gathered at the memorial to pay their respects.
He introduced Haverhill's deputy mayor, Cllr Les Ager, who, as an ex-Serviceman himself spoke about his memories of serving and then introduced the Family History Group's co-ordinator for the project, Jeanette Key, to present the Roll of Honour to the town mayor.
Cllr McManus said she was honoured to receive it on behalf of the people of Haverhill and then introduced Mrs Gill Hanbury, daughter of Lt Gen Sir Charles Briggs, who uveiled the memorial in 1920, to open the festival.
At the time, her father had said: "I hope and trust that all the young ones there are about will be brought up to reverence the dead and to look up to all the heroes who fought for their country."
Mrs Hanbury said: "He would be as proud as I am here today to see all around so many groups, working together, to present this Remembrance Festival."
Each ringing of the bell and reading of six names was followed by a short performance from representatives of various town organisations, including Samuel Ward and Castle Manor colleges, Haverhill guides and brownies, Haverhill Operatic Society, Haverhill School of Speech and Drama, St Mary's Church, U3A Folk Music Players and Haverhill Silver Band.
Tim Pannell from the band played the Last Post and Reveille for the traditional Remembrance ceremonies at the end of the festival.
Displays in the hall included work from several primary schools, cadets, Haverhill Flower Club, Haverhill Art Group and the Royal British Legion, as well as Gurteen's, in whose factory a majority of those who gave their lives had worked.
On Saturday evening a special tribute in words and music called In Flanders Fields was performed by Haverhill Choral Society, St Mary's Church Choir, Perfect Fourth String Quartet from Samuel Ward college and readers from local drama groups Centre Stage Company and Outspoken Theatre.
The festival was organised by several groups, led by the Family History Group and its chairman Alan Bumpstead.
In thanking everyone at the end of the festival Mr Bumpstead said: "The event has not only done Haverhill proud, but has been of such a quality as to do justice to the memory of the men whose names have been read out."
The group's vice-chairman, Judith Rye, said: "Any show needs an audience and we were very pleased to see so many visitors throughout the two days.
"It was particularly good to hear that people had met up with friends or relatives from years ago, and even some who discovered new relatives from reading the family stories contained in the Roll of Honour."
The Arts Centre auditorium was filled with displays from a variety of town organisations on the theme of the two World Wars, while other organisations provided a range of performers on the stage in words and music on a similar theme.
Every half hour throughout the festival on Friday and Saturday, there was a solemnly observed ceremony of the reading out of six of the names of the First World War dead on the memorial, with a bell being rung for each.
By the end of Saturday afternoon all 144 had been read out, many by relatives, some of whom travelled some distance to take part, having been contacted by Haverhill Family History Group, which was researching each name.
The results of the group's research has been put together in a Roll of Honour book, which was presented to the Mayor of Haverhill, Cllr Elaine McManus, at the opening of the festival.
The book will be kept at the Arts Centre so present and future generations can find out about the life stories of those who gave their lives.
On Friday morning The Mayor of St Edmundsbury, Cllr Michael Jones, welcomed visitors to the festival and thanked those who had organised it.
It marked the unveiling of the war memorial on November 21, 1920, when, Cllr Jones said, it was reported that 5,000 people lined the route and gathered at the memorial to pay their respects.
He introduced Haverhill's deputy mayor, Cllr Les Ager, who, as an ex-Serviceman himself spoke about his memories of serving and then introduced the Family History Group's co-ordinator for the project, Jeanette Key, to present the Roll of Honour to the town mayor.
Cllr McManus said she was honoured to receive it on behalf of the people of Haverhill and then introduced Mrs Gill Hanbury, daughter of Lt Gen Sir Charles Briggs, who uveiled the memorial in 1920, to open the festival.
At the time, her father had said: "I hope and trust that all the young ones there are about will be brought up to reverence the dead and to look up to all the heroes who fought for their country."
Mrs Hanbury said: "He would be as proud as I am here today to see all around so many groups, working together, to present this Remembrance Festival."
Each ringing of the bell and reading of six names was followed by a short performance from representatives of various town organisations, including Samuel Ward and Castle Manor colleges, Haverhill guides and brownies, Haverhill Operatic Society, Haverhill School of Speech and Drama, St Mary's Church, U3A Folk Music Players and Haverhill Silver Band.
Tim Pannell from the band played the Last Post and Reveille for the traditional Remembrance ceremonies at the end of the festival.
Displays in the hall included work from several primary schools, cadets, Haverhill Flower Club, Haverhill Art Group and the Royal British Legion, as well as Gurteen's, in whose factory a majority of those who gave their lives had worked.
On Saturday evening a special tribute in words and music called In Flanders Fields was performed by Haverhill Choral Society, St Mary's Church Choir, Perfect Fourth String Quartet from Samuel Ward college and readers from local drama groups Centre Stage Company and Outspoken Theatre.
The festival was organised by several groups, led by the Family History Group and its chairman Alan Bumpstead.
In thanking everyone at the end of the festival Mr Bumpstead said: "The event has not only done Haverhill proud, but has been of such a quality as to do justice to the memory of the men whose names have been read out."
The group's vice-chairman, Judith Rye, said: "Any show needs an audience and we were very pleased to see so many visitors throughout the two days.
"It was particularly good to hear that people had met up with friends or relatives from years ago, and even some who discovered new relatives from reading the family stories contained in the Roll of Honour."
Comment on this story
[board listing] [login] [register]
You must be logged in to post messages. (login now)